Saturday, March 18, 2017

plato's cave nineteen (being a film journal) mike leigh

mike leigh - another year - 2010

the films of mike leigh part four

four seasons in "another year", with a superb cast of mike leigh characters interacting within each season, some here and some there.

if naked is the post-punk film about being a young man in london, too smart for your own good; another year is about the subtleties and depth that comes with being no longer young, and not having to prove anything. the exchange between tom and ken about "young people" makes this clear. it is a film about alcoholism, depression, stability, and lost loves. and also about a strong love between two beautiful souls. having seen this film when it came out, i was immediately taken by it. being a little longer in the tooth now, it speaks even clearer.

ruth sheen
a further development of sheen's role in high hopes possibly. she is another essential actor in mr. leigh's world.
other mike leigh films :
- high hopes - 1988
- secrets & lies - 1996
- all or nothing - 2002
- vera drake - 2004
- mr. turner - 2014

jim broadbent
stills above show how expressive mr. broadbent can be, even with an eye lid not sure where it wants to go (second still). this eye lid moment in the film would be hard to repeat and is quite overwhelming.
other mike leigh films :
- life is sweet - 1990
- topsy-turvy - 1999
- vera drake - 2004

other non-leigh films with mr. broadbent worth mentioning
- the shout - 1978, jerzy skolimowski
- the hit - 1984, stephen frears
- brazil - 1985, terry gilliam
- the crying game - 1992, neil jordan (as the bartender and matchmaker col)
- bullets over broadway - 1994, woody allen (as warner purcell who snacks progressively more as the film advances)
- harry potter and the half-blood prince - 2009, david yates

lesley manville
manville is just breathtaking in this film!
other mike leigh films :
- grown-ups from bbc2 playhouse tv - 1980
- high hopes - 1988
- secrets & lies - 1996
- topsy-turvy - 1999
- all or nothing - 2002
- vera drake - 2004
- mr. turner - 2014

imelda staunton
plays a depressive insomniac, hard to watch
other mike leigh films :
- vera drake - 2004

peter wight
young people, young people.
everything's for young people!
these bars, you know, they're
full of young people shouting
about nothing.

other mike leigh films :
- meantime - 1984
- naked - 1993, as brian the "insecurity" guard
- secrets & lies - 1996
- vera drake - 2004
- mr. turner - 2014

oliver maltman
other mike leigh films :
- happy-go-lucky - 2008
- mr. turner - 2014

phil davis
from commie to golfer
other mike leigh films :
- who's who from play for today tv - 1979
- grown-ups from bbc2 playhouse tv - 1980
- high hopes - 1988
- secrets & lies - 1996
- vera drake - 2004

david bradley
one of britain's truly great actors, bradley has a memorable role in this film.
this is his only mike leigh film but here are some other films and tv shows he makes an impression in:
- prick up your ears - 1987, stephen frears
- harry potter films - 2001-2011 (as argus filch)
- harry brown - 2009, daniel barber (leaves an impression as the character leonard attwell)
- broadchurch - 2013 (as the character jack marshall, wrongly accused of dirty business)
- game of thrones - 2011-2016 (as walder frey, who understand the complexities of the female form)
- the strain - 2014-2017 (i don't much care for this show but have watched it to see mr. bradley and also corey stoll)

michele austin
other mike leigh films :
- secrets & lies - 1996
- all or nothing - 2002

karina fernandez
other mike leigh films :
- happy-go-lucky - 2008, as flamenco teacher
- mr. turner - 2014, as miss coggins who plays purcell whilst turner sings along

martin savage
hooligan character
other mike leigh films :
- topsy-turvy - 1999
- all or nothing - 2002
- vera drake - 2004
- mr. turner - 2014

eileen davies
as mourner
other mike leigh films :
- meantime - 1984
- vera drake - 2004
- mr. turner - 2014

mary jo randle
as mourner
her only mike leigh film

ben roberts
as mourner
his only mike leigh film

cinematography by dick pope
dick pope was also camera operator for the following films, and worked closely with mike leigh and grip colin strachan.  when asked "how do you work with mike on-set?" he responded "mike directs from the camera, only at the camera. he looks through the viewfinder on almost every key shot and directs from there too, refining the acting and its choreography in the greatest detail. he watches each take from next to the camera. nothing is left to chance."

other mike leigh films :
- life is sweet - 1990
- naked - 1993
- secrets & lies - 1996
- career girls - 1997
- topsy-turvy - 1999
- all or nothing - 2002
- vera drake - 2004
- happy-go-lucky - 2008
- mr. turner - 2014

music by gary yershon
the consistent feel in the music of mike leigh films is very striking. it is obvious he had a huge impact on the feel of the music, even if there are different composers. the music in the driving sequence in the beginning of the "winter" section of this film is very much like the driving sequence in naked by andrew dickson. quite fascinating.
other mike leigh films :
- happy-go-lucky - 2008
- mr. turner - 2014

No comments: